India Part 5: The Wedding

The following took place over two nights. Indian weddings can last up to 7 days. I was present for 3 days of festivities, and I was told another two would take place in Bombay the following weekend.

A rare moment when I cornered Shot. The prelude night had 350 guests, the actual wedding had 700 guests!



















On the second night, the friends of the groom offer numerous dances to honor the couple:

Indian Dancing

Shot and his (at the time) almost bride Smita. I did not have hardly any opportunity to talk to her. Although this was not an arranged marriage, traditional customs were observed. Therefore, the bride was not around at all in the days leading up to the marriage.



















The following night was the actual wedding. I was loaned some traditional clothing (a Salwar Kameez) for the event, which was fun and I think a hit with the guests. I was the only caucasian in attendance at the wedding. At one point, since I was hanging out with 25 Indians and wearing traditional Indian clothing, I was told the photographer asked someone what was wrong with my skin (in Hindi). Apparently, it didn't occur to him that I was a westerner :)

What shot is wearing is traditional wedding attire. It couldn't have been too much fun from a comfort standpoint as it was about 100 degrees out. By the way, that is an emerald necklace.



















In the old days, you went to go pick up your bride on horse.



















A 30 piece marching band is on hand for the occasion. These guys rocked it out and caused a spectacle even with the locals.



















The procession marched down the street, marching band in tow, until we eventually reached the wedding location



















OK.... so you haven't really had fun until you've been to an Indian wedding. The Barat is part of the procession where the grooms friends dance in front of the groom on horse. Not wanting to dissappoint, I did my best to bust out some Indian dance moves. This procession easily lasts an hour, with band at full volume. The energy level was incredibly high. Lets just say I was pumped.



















My view was never obstucted by any heads during my stay..



















The Rambagh Palace hotel is one of the most amazing hotels I've seen. Unfortunately, I did not take any photos of the spread, but it was very impressive. My tolerance for Indian food was wearing down a bit at this point (due to digestion, not necessarily taste), but the wedding had Thai food as well (rising in popularity in India).

The Rambagh was originally a royal palace before it was turned into a hotel. Forbes rates it as one of the top 10 palaces on earth.



















After the Barat, 10 million photos were taken, followed by dinner. I guess alcohol is not part of the tradition. They made it available, but in a hotel room away from the main serving area.

After dinner, the Phera (fire) takes place. The phera went on for more hours than I can count (until about 3-4 in the morning). There is a lot of chanting, some smoke. Over time, the bride and groom move around the fire 7 times to invoke the blessings of the Gods and Goddesses for different benedictions:

Phera Funda 1 - Economic Stability
With the first step, the couple invokes the Gods for the plentitude of pure and nourishing food and a life that is noble and respectful.

Phera Funda 2 - Health is Wealth
With the second step the couple pray for physical and mental strength and fortitude to lead a healthy and peaceful life.

Phera Funda 3 - Faith
The third step is taken for the fulfilment of spiritual obligations. The Gods are invoked for blessing the couple with spiritual strength.

Phera Funda 4 - Love & Trust
The fourth step is taken for the attainment of happiness and harmony through mutual love and trust and a long joyous life together.

Phera Funda 5 - Progeny
The fifth step is taken to pray for the welfare of all living entities in the entire universe and for begetting noble children.

Phera Funda 6 - Togetherness
The sixth step is for bountiful seasons all over the world. The couple prays for bountiful seasons and seeks that they may go through these seasons together, just as they would share their joys and sorrows.

Phera Funda 7 - Forever
With the last step they pray for a life of understanding, loyalty, unity and companionship not only for themselves but also for the peace of the Universe.





















Exhaused, I went to bed. I hadn't slept very well during the trip. Since India is 10.5 hours ahead of Chicago, the jet lag is pretty extreme. I would typically wake up around 5am each morning, wide awake despite a lack of sleep, and feel catatonically sleepy around 2pm. Fortunately, it was a lot better coming back to the U.S.



This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.